14 March 2018, New York – The United Nations Development Programme’s Administrator Achim Steiner will visit Zimbabwe from 15 – 18 March. This is the first visit by a UN official since the end of Robert Mugabe’s Presidency and the transfer of power in November 2017.

During his visit, Mr. Steiner, who is also the Vice Chair of the United Nations Development Group, will meet with President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa and other senior officials including the two Vice Presidents, and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Lands and Agriculture, Environment, and Health, among others. He will also meet with development partners, members of civil society, and the UN country team.

During his meetings with government officials, Mr. Steiner will discuss how the UN can support the upcoming elections and actions it can take to assist in Zimbabwe’s economic recovery.

He will also meet with a number of Independent Commissions, including the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, and the Gender Commission

Mr. Steiner will also deliver the keynote address at the launch of National Human Development report on Climate Change on 16 March 2018 in Harare. The Human Development Report aims to inform policy, provide additional evidence for resilience and livelihood building projects and advocacy to address natural disasters that have become recurrent in Zimbabwe due to climate change.

He will also travel to the field to see a variety of projects including a voter registration facility, an agricultural diversification project, and HIV and AIDS programs in Mbare and Mutoko.

Mr. Steiner will hold a press conference on Saturday, 17 March 2018 17:30 at Meikles Hotel in Harare.

For more information and media requests, please contact:

In New York, Christina LoNigro, Press Secretary, United Nations Development Programme on christina.lonigro@undp.org or Mob: +1 917 607 9446;

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